Chances are you remember how easy it was to touch your toes or do the splits when you were a child. As you get older, however, staying flexible becomes more difficult because muscles get weaker and stiffer, according to Fitness.com. If you're not very physically active, you're even more likely to lose flexibility. Stretching or range-of-motion exercises can help you to become more flexible, but some are better than others and will reduce your risk of injury.
Benefits of Flexibility
Flexibility helps to prevent muscle and joint pain and stiffness and to maintain normal muscle function, notes Fitness.com. It also helps to prevent permanent changes in your posture and to reduce your risk of injury during daily activities, exercise or playing sports. Performing stretching exercises also improves circulation, reduces joint degeneration and improves balance.
Static Stretches
These types of stretches are the most commonly used to improve flexibility and the least likely to cause you injury, according to David P. Swain and Brian C. Leutholtz, authors of "Exercise Prescription." During static stretches, you slowly stretch muscles until you feel tension and hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. Swain and Leutholtz advise repeating each stretch two to four times. Holding the stretch for longer than one minute will give you even better results.
Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Stretches
Also referred to as PNF stretches, these exercises are even more effective at improving flexibility than static stretches, but they are more likely to cause injury, warns Swain and Leutholtz. You also need a partner to perform them. An example of a PNF stretch involves lying on your back and raising your leg in the air while your partner leans against your calf to move your leg through its full range of motion. According to Swain and Leutholtz, at this point you push down against your partner's shoulder to tighten your hamstrings, gluteals and even your quadriceps. You release the contraction after about six seconds and your partner tries to push your leg even farther back. Each stretch is repeated two to four times.
Caution
Avoid old-fashioned ballistic stretches, which involve bouncing movements during the stretch. An example of a ballistic stretch is to forcefully bend to touch your toes while keeping your knee straight and bouncing, explains UC Wellness Newsletter. These types of exercises can damage connective tissue and cause reflexive contractions, which can shorten the muscle and increase your risk of injury. Also, always warm up for about five minutes before stretching, doing activities such as walking or cycling. Stretch all your major muscle groups and stop stretching if you feel pain.
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